Cultural Directions 
SOIL: Generally speaking, Rhododendrons require 
an acid soil that is well drained. A generous ap- 
plication of peat or well decayed leaves scatter- 
ed on the bed before spading will provide a fri- 
able compost for the hair like roots and also 
assist in keeping the soil acid. 
PLANTING: Rhododendrons are essentially surface 
rooters, therefore, plant them so that the top 
of the root ball is barely one inch below the 
soil level. We feel safe in saying that 90% of 
the cultural difficulties encountered are di- 
rectly traceable to deep planting. 
Dig a hole several inches in excess of the 
ball’s depth and width, fill in around the ball 
with equal parts of peat and loam, tamp with 
a shovel handle to prevent undue settling and 
water thoroughly. In a heavy clay, we advise 
that the soil be removed to at least twice the 
diameter of the ball’s width and replaced with 
a silty loam. Planting may be carried out be- 
tween the months of Sepember and April, but 
we strongly recommend that this operation be 
performed in the fall so that the plant has a 
chance to become established before the sum- 
mer months. 
MULCHING: After planting, mulch with two or 
three inches of peat, decayed leaves, or dried 
fern. This mulch has a three fold purpose. 1) 
It protects the roots from drying out. 2) It 
helps conserve moisture during the summer 
heat. 3) It ultimately becomes a source of 
food available to the surface feeding roots. 
On well established specimens, a top dressing: 
of decayed cow manure, applied before the 
fall rains, will be found beneficial. 
WATERING: The progenitors of most Rhododen- 
dron hybrids are native to regions where the 
humidity is relatively high so that during warm 
summer days the plants appreciate overhead 
sprinkling night and morning to reduce the 
evaporation rate on leaf surfaces. They imbibe 
water in quantity during the growing season, 
but overwatering is disasterous if the soil has 
been insufficiently lightened and water accu- 
mulates about the root system. The question of 
adequate drainage cannot be too strongly em- 
